CALEB NICKERSON
PONTIAC Feb. 3, 2021
The Piscine Pontiac Pool committee are looking at their options following the news that they were not approved for a large grant they applied for in 2020.
Committee President Todd Hoffman said that the funding they had applied for through Loisir Sport Quebec was very competitive and though they weren’t approved for the $7.6 million that they had asked for, they were considering other options. The overall cost of the project was . . .
originally pegged at just under $11 million total and featured two pools, a gym, and also office space. They had sent their application in February 2020, but the pandemic prolonged the waiting period.
“Everybody that applied was supposed to know around May, but then everything took a turn sideways, like with the COVID, committees couldn’t meet, they extended the deadline twice and let everyone get their applications in, it took a long time,” he said.
He added that there was a large increase in applications for the fund this year and it was very competitive.
“The funding was there for the big Loisir Sport [grant], so if it’s there you’re going to take a shot,” he said. “It’s like hockey, if you don’t shoot you don’t score.”
Though the committee’s application wasn’t approved, Hoffman said that their architect had offered to revise their plans to reduce the scope, and therefore the cost of the facility.
“Over the summer crunching the numbers, we thought well you know what, maybe it’s a good idea to not rely so much on the government, there’s other funding out there that we’re eligible for …” he continued. “Taking a different approach, we’re going to downscale instead of with the two pools, the one pool. Then basically we can cut it almost in half, the complex will be cut almost in half in terms of dollars … There’s still positive things from last year, despite it being a crappy year for everybody.”
He pointed to the overwhelmingly positive response to a public survey they conducted last winter as a reason for pushing ahead with a revised goal. The therapy pool they had planned for would be reduced to a small attached section to the main swimming area, which will also be altered. Hoffman said that a warm therapy pool was important, since the committee has partnered with the local health authority.
“The lap pool is not so much the priority now … it’s not to have competitive meets in, it’s more like a pool to learn to swim with an oval side thing attached for therapy,” he explained. “Therapy has to be important to it because part of [the project] … our partnership with CISSSO is for therapy and well-being, so we’re not going to be giving that up.”
In addition, there will be a reduction in the amount of office space they are able to offer, but Hoffman said the revisions are still in the early stages. The group will be holding their AGM in the spring, where members will have a chance to pore over the revised plans and look at other funding options.
“We have the drawings on hand for the five million dollar complex with the one pool and the gym, so really, we’re still all set to go with that,” Hoffman said. “We didn’t miss a beat on that part.”
The pool was originally spearheaded by Pontiac Warden Jane Toller prior to her election in 2017, and she is currently a member the committee. Back in the summer of 2018, the non-profit group announced that they had purchased a plot of land next to the arena in Fort Coulonge from the municipality for the price of a dollar.
